est. Ah,
said Turquine, Launcelot, thou art unto me most welcome that ever was
knight, for we shall never depart till the one of us be dead. Then
they hurtled together as two wild bulls rushing and lashing with their
shields and swords, that sometime they fell both over their noses. Thus
they fought still two hours and more, and never would have rest, and Sir
Turquine gave Sir Launcelot many wounds that all the ground thereas they
fought was all bespeckled with blood.

CHAPTER IX. How Sir Turquine was slain, and how Sir Launcelot bade Sir
Gaheris deliver all the prisoners.

THEN at the last Sir Turquine waxed faint, and gave somewhat aback, and
bare his shield low for weariness. That espied Sir Launcelot, and leapt
upon him fiercely and gat him by the beaver of his helmet, and plucked
him down on his knees, and anon he raced off his helm, and smote his
neck in sunder. And when Sir Launcelot had done this, he yode unto the
damosel and said, Damosel, I am ready to go with you where ye will have
me, but I have no horse. Fair sir, said she, take this wounded knight's
horse and send him into this manor, and command him to deliver all the
prisoners. So Sir Launcelot went unto Gaheris, and prayed him not to
be aggrieved for to lend him his horse. Nay, fair lord, said Gaheris,
I will that ye take my horse at your own commandment, for ye have both
saved me and my horse, and this day I say ye are the best knight in the
world, for ye have slain this day in my sight the mightiest man and the
best knight except you that ever I saw, and, fair sir, said Gaheris, I
pray you tell me your name. Sir, my name is Sir Launcelot du Lake, that
ought to help you of right for King Arthur's sake, and in especial for
my lord Sir Gawaine's sake, your own dear brother; and when that ye come
within yonder manor, I am sure ye shall find there many knights of the
Round Table, for I have seen many of their shields that I know on yonder
tree. There is Kay's shield, and Sir Brandel's shield, and Sir Marhaus'
shield, and Sir Galind's shield, and Sir Brian de Listnois' shield, and
Sir Aliduke's shield, with many more that I am not now advised of,
and also my two brethren's shields, Sir Ector de Maris and Sir Lionel;
wherefore I pray you greet them all from me, and say that I bid them
take such stuff there as they find, and that in any wise my brethren go
unto the court and abide me there till that I come, for by the feast of
Pentecost I cast me to be t